Making Her Broadway Debut in Hadestown, Ani DiFranco Is Inspired by the Badassery

On February 9, the Grammy Award winner and alternative folk heroine Ani DiFranco made her Broadway debut, playing the role of Persephone in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown.

It’s a full-circle moment for the performer. Back in the 2000s, DiFranco helped a young songwriter named Anaïs Mitchell develop Hadestown as a concept album. DiFranco played the role of Persephone on the record, which she then released on her Righteous Babe Records label.

She never would have dreamed, all those years ago, where that the project would take her. “I never ever thought that the show would be on Broadway,” she told The Broadway Show. “If it was me, with that idea and that initial group of songs, I probably would've made the album and been like, OK, moving on, did that. But the fact that Anaïs just kept going and developing it and evolving it suggested a maturity, and a patience, and a level of vision that was startling to me. Especially for somebody so young.”

In the ’90s, DiFranco was known for her tatts, tank tops and shaved head. Her Persephone transformation may come as a shock to her longtime fans. For that matter, it’s come as a bit of a surprise to herself. “I mean, I think it's startling and hilarious and hopefully wonderful,” she said. “Just me in heels and a dress and a wig and all kinds of makeup and a diamond wedding ring… Who knew?”

DiFranco was speaking to The Broadway Show right after her first five-show weekend. “I guess it’s humanly possible because you’re surrounded by humans that do it week after week, year after year,” she said. “It's so inspiring to be surrounded by all these badasses. And not just the leads, but the Fates and the Workers and the swing players that can dip into any number of nine roles and positions and know that harmony and that mark to hit and that movement and get called in at a moment's notice and slay.

"But I still am not convinced I'm going to survive between now and June."